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Ederan
A feudal daughter kingdom of Valamar, Ederan is the trading hub of Norospire. It shares its northern border with Ongband and Wizard's Peak, its western border with the Khugarin Steppes, its southern border with Glimmerglade and its eastern border with the Eastern Sea. It is made up of the Ederan people of the provinces Oakridge Basin, Trader Ports, Westmarch, The Highlands and The Deadlands. The capital is the old city of Starnchester where sat the Valamari Emperors of old. King Edmundo Herlbert of Starnchester is the current ruler. Other notable locations in the kingdom include the Bardic University in Starnchester and the Gallery of Art in Montre Vene. History Ettaria The earliest form of the Kingdom of Ederan can be found to predate the Valamari Empire. Ettaria was a loose alliance of Loktheiren tribes who joined together to oppose Valamari expansion. They made a capital in the wooden fortress of Stern-Chaustix, from where King Cattuvir ruled the Ettarian tribes. This collection of peoples lived in harmony with the land, and they did not consider any living thing as being separate from another. To the Old Druids of Ettaria, all were one in the land. These beliefs came from a primitive understanding of wood elf spirituality. They called the elves "Elder Ones" and learned much from their ways. To the Ettarians, elves were demigods and the greater faeries of The Fey were gods. Cattuvir himself was the first and most powerful human druid of his time. He was also a fearsome barbarian warrior and would always lead his people from the front. When the empire's crusade came to the Ettarian lands, it was repelled by hit and run tactics and unwavering courage. Ettarian druids saw civilization as nature's enemy and so fought to protect their way of life against these foreign invaders. Due in part to the resistance of the barbarians and in part to the infighting of the Valamari, the First Ettarian Crusade was very unsuccessful. Yet The Empire returned for a second crusade, this time wielding the arcane magic techniques of the high elf wizards and an alliance with the northern Loktheiren tribes called the Wishmoreen. Stern-Chaustix burned before the might of the Valamari and King Cattuvir surrendered. The ruined fort was re-purposed into the Valamari city of Starnchester which would eventually become the new capital when the distance of Valamar from the front proved too much of a disadvantage. Yet the Ettarian fight was not yet over. Cattuvir's wife, Queen Lutiercca fled north to the Ettarian Highlands to rally her father's tribe against the foreigners. Cattuvir was executed for her crime. Lutiercca fought long and hard against her oppressors but despite her warriors' advantage in the hills, she was losing to imperial numbers fast. She became desperate and made a pact with some shady Faerie King or another, gaining power over death. She rose the dead of her armies against her foe, fighting with an unstoppable skeleton army which would never stay dead for long. These foul tactics won Lutiercca many battles, but betrayed the very thing she fought to protect. The land was befouled by her warlock magics and her people were seeing how she killed it more each day. A Highland warrior slew the queen with a knife in the back, dividing the northern Ettarian tribes against eachother. The rebellion died soon after and all of Ettaria was assimilated into the Valamari Empire and ways of life. Treaty of Montre Vene After The Empire fell to Sir Pius Federico's revolt, an Ederan (as the Ettarians became known under Valamari rule) general made king called Stelig Herlbert suggested the various human peoples meet in the city of Montre Vene to divide the land according to ancient heritage and rights. At these negotiations, Stelig was met by representatives and rulers of the people groups who had been conquered by the Valamari. Pius Federico laid claim to the imperial provinces of Illindore and Kergerin which had been taken during the early Valamari campaigns against the Nothir peoples. Unfortunately for the Illindorian people, the orcs had already taken Kergerin with cold steel. King Hjorleif Skaalmarsson claimed the northern Nothir lands which had more recently been conquered by The Empire, which were then called Skalmarr. The Wishmoreen ambassador Torm Lassindere tried to claim the northern half of Oakridge (called Wishmore in that time) in addition to Wizard's Peak on the basis of them being Wishmoreen lands before the spread of Valamar, but King Stelig would not allow the Wishmoreen to take lands which had been defended against the Empire by Ettarian blood. The Wishmoreen were instead just granted Wizard's Peak. Prince Tadhig Herlbert (Stelig's brother) of the Ederan Highlands tried to create an independent kingdom since the Highlanders had held against the Valamari for longer and formed their own culture in that time. Yet King Stelig's shrewd negotiating skills won him the Highlands as a vassal duchy. The Almadheen did not attend these negotiations. The Golden Age In the years following the Treaty, Ederan enjoyed more peace and splendor than the rest of the world. Commerce thrived as the Ederan kings of those times forged alliances and trade agreements which lasted even till the modern day. The Ederans even trade with the high elves and hill dwarves, even though non-human races usually stay out of human affairs. In fact, the southern parts of Ederan began to see considerable dwarf, elf, halfling and even gnome immigration as members of the other races sought new opportunities in the land of prosperity. The most notable Ederan ruler was Queen Eliane who history remembers as both the most beautiful and most intimidating woman in Norospire. She ascended to the throne during the Skalmarri crusades, a war between Illindore and Skalmarr which had abandoned the Valamari Faith. Eliane started her rule by imposing trade sanctions on the Skalmarri due to their heathenish practices, earning her a much stronger alliance with Illindore. She then spearheaded an exploration effort into the southern Almadhara Desert where she made contact with the long lost Almadheen. It turned out the southron tribes had come across valuable stones and spices in the desert, and so trade began to flourish soon enough between the Almadheen and the Ederans. The Queen also sent missionaries to Hinode who quickly managed to convert some villages in Nantojima to The Faith and begin trade operations. Finally, Eliane faced the Great Crisis with a brave face as the Highlanders rallied behind Grand Duke Danneig MacBrain and demanded independence. The Grand Duke had been converted to druidism by Old Way cults in the north and wished to form a kingdom apart from the church. War seemed imminent but Eliane kept her cool and personally converted Dannieg back to the holy church of Valamar, thereby preventing a war. It is for this deed that Eliane was canonized a saint three years after her death by the High Cleric of Sunhelm. One criticism of Eliane is that she didn't marry until well into her older years. It is likely that she wished to retain her power as an autonomous queen. Yet, she still gave birth to a son who would become almost as loved as she. King Clovis Herlbert, who was enamored with the romanticism of knighthood, formed the 16th paladin order, in devotion to Tirena, which was devoted to questing in defense of the common man. The Order of Scintillion trained knights to travel Ederan in search of quests for the faithful commoners so that the kingdom could become a safer place to live. This often involved protecting caravans or slaying monsters or defeating barbarians in battle. It is argued by many that while the Red Gold Legion of Illindore is clearly the most zealous paladin order, the Knights of Scintillion most faithfully embody the Code of Chivalry first set down by Saint Fain of Valamar himself. The Battle of Bleakcliff Historians place the end of the Golden Age at the death of Grand Duke Glynwavan of the Highlands. The Duke was assassinated by followers of the Old Ways who believed that druidism should take the place of The Faith in the Highlands, where Lutiercca had held on to the way longer than the cowardly southerners. In the ensuing struggle for the seat of power in the Ederan north, Ederan King Oradin Herlbert mostly stayed out of conflict. He was a weak ruler who preferred to leave the diplomacy up to his High Chancellor who didn't have the power to stop a war. Eventually, Eoghann MacBrunnen took the duchy and declared independence in defiance of the crown. The Marshal of the Ederan army and son of the king, Prince Melverick Herlbert, pleaded with his liege father for the authority to act. Authority was granted, and Melverick took the royal levies across the Ederan Bay and to the field of Bleakcliff to meet the Highlanders in battle. A glorious cavalry charge ensured swift victory over the rebels who now had a crippled army. "King" Eoghann fled his castle in Edburh and his body was found mauled by wolves in Chelwood. The Ederan Highlands were brought back under the sovereign rule of the crown. This battle against the northern rebels is considered to be the first in a list of Troubles for the Kingdom of Ederan. The Summer Famine One summer, a severe famine had taken the lands of Ederan. despite the favorable conditions, crops were dying and livestock starving. The people were going hungry. The worst example of this was in Old Watch, where the people ran out of rats to eat and soon turned against each other. The Keep was swarmed by rioters who seized their Earl and ate him. A detachment of soldiers had to be deployed to the town to restore order and bring food. While this was certainly the worse case of it, events like this were not uncommon, especially in the large cities such as Montre Vene. Things continued like this till Sir Emmett Linwood of the Scintillion Order found the source of the famine: a cult of warlocks in the Fell Pass who placed a curse on the land in the name of the great demon Ar'guun. They wished to starve the people so that they'd turn against the king and throw down the church of Marpholones. With the help of two clerics, Sir Emmett threw down the warlocks and restored peace to the realm. However, so powerful was the curse of those warlocks that it taints Shadowtree Forest to this day, where no longer do living things grow. Sir Emmett has since been canonized as a saint for his deed. This was the second Trouble of Ederan. The Elderwood Crisis A party of peasants under Lord Castor Chevill traveled north to the eaves of the Elderwood in the hopes of making a new village. uneducated in the elvish ways, Castor ordered his serfs to take wood from the trees of that forest to build his settlement. In answer to this, the Wood Elves attacked his men, slaughtering them from the trees. Castor managed to retreat to Edburh, but when word of his crime reached the king he was executed for his stupidity and for bypassing the king's judgement in his decision to build a town in his name. The king sent envoys to negotiate with the elves but they were attacked on sight. No elf warrior would stop to negotiate. The paladins of the Red Rose Order who protected the diplomats decided to stand their ground, protecting their charges till they reached their goal. They were hunted like animals for the entirety of their march. By the time the knights reached the Wood Elf Tree-City of Maewaha, only four of the original thirteen were alive. The Wood Elf Lady Taeharni Anheim called off her warriors and allowed the Ederan to explain themselves as she was impressed with their survival. The ensuing negotiations prevented war with the elves, earning each of the four knights, as well as the fallen, the Laurel of Peace. This was the third Trouble of Ederan. The Hallow Dragon During a Hallowing in Ederan, a ghostly, skeletal dragon rose over the town of Gloomhallow in the northern Deadlands. It breathed a terrible hel-flame of necrotic energies which brought back to life those who it slew, but as its ghoulish thralls. A legendary party of heroes remembered as the Heroes of Gloomhallow fought with the dragon but could not defeat it as it seemed to be indestructible. These heroes were Piret Treyton the Ederan rogue, Alfrid Carrington the Ederan fighter, Trinity Dene the Wishmoreen bard and Gorslann the Wishmoreen wizard. Gorslann crafted powerful runes of binding which allowed the party to trap the horrid creature in a stone carving in a cave. The carving of the Hallow Dragon remains there to this day, a grim reminder of the tortured souls it stole from heaven. This was the fourth and final trouble of Ederan. The kingdom entered a relative peace after the death of the dragon. Modern Ederan Now years of peace have passed since the Four Troubles of Ederan and King Edmundo rules with a stern yet benevolent righteousness. Trade with Hinode thrives as more and more ports open their docks to the mainland. The paladin orders within the kingdom now number twenty three and more churches seem to be built every day as Illindorian clerics travel the realm. A joint raid by the orc tribes of Direcrown and Bloodaxe in the Westmarch town of Chatou has plunged the realm into war with the orcs alongside their strong allies in Illindore. Westmarch mobilizes and prepares for a long and bloody struggle in the Khugarin Steppes. People of Ederan Most of the people of Ederan are native Ederans, but a good 30% of the population is made up of foreigners, making Ederan the most multicultural of the kingdoms of Norospire. Most foreigners are other humans, Hill Dwarves, High Elves, Forest Gnomes, Halflings and Half-Elves. Ederan people tend to have slightly different characteristics in the different provinces. Oakridge Ederan, the most common, usually have brown and darker hair colours with tan skin and brown eyes. Northern Highlanders and Deadlanders tend to be tall and have blonde or red hair with blue or green eyes and fairer skin. Southern Porters and Westmarchers are shorter with brown or blonde hair and usually blue eyes. While local cultures in the provinces vary, Ederan culture can be summarized in their love of gold and the finer things in life. Since they have enjoyed years of peace they have found more time for luxury than the other realms. This is only true for the upper class, however, although the peasants can be said to enjoy a better lot than is typical in human societies. Ederans are also very social people, and are taught skills of diplomacy and bartering from a young age as these are necessary to survive in their culture. Art is important to Ederans, as is entertainment. For this reason, tournaments of skill including jousting, archery, the melee, and many other chivalrous contests are common. The Oakridge Tourney is an annual event hosted by the King in Starnchester where knights from all across Norospire come to compete for the Royal Cape and a kiss from a chosen lady of the royal house. Dance and song are also popular leisure activities. Indeed, the art of music and storytelling are central to the education of the Bardic University which holds that these practices serve the all-important role of preserving and celebrating the magnificent culture of Ederan. The Ederan language comes from ancient Ettarian, which was a Loktheiren dialect descended from the original Loktheiri. Valamari and elvish influence has made Ederan the language it is today. Its script is the Valamari alphabet, although there are some in the Highlands who still prefer to use the old Ettarian runes. Each Ederan province has its own distinct accent and dialect, although most foreigners wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Ederans have +1 CHA and -1 CON Cattuviri It is also worth noting here the Cattuviri Barbarians. These are followers of the Old Ways who have (unlike the Highlands druid groups) abandoned civilization altogether, reverting to the ways of the ancient Ettarians. Cattuviri rarely even speak the Valamari tongue, instead using old ettarian. Also called Wildmen, Hillmen or simply Barbarians, they are more often than not hostile to civilized or faithful folk, making the traveler of the Ederan wilds a wary traveler. Provinces of Ederan Oakridge Basin The capital province of Ederan is made up by the capital city Starnchester where dwells the king in his palace and the Bardic University where the ancient lore of the world is studied and pondered by Ederan academics. From the university came the bardic tradition of weaving music and magic. To the city's north is Old Watch, a township with considerable military strength and a famous church of Marpholones. The Fell Pass watches the mountain pass into the western orc lands. This place is a dark territory crawling with strange creatures, so only the most brave dare live here. South of Fell Pass is Chelwood and the lumber village of Willowford. Oakridge Ederans tend to be the most educated and elite of the Ederan people, but are otherwise pretty typical Ederans. Westmarch The borderlands play host to a refined people who love culture and art. It is also home to the strongest military force of Ederan, the Montre Vene Garrison. Most Knighthood Orders also have their origins in this city. The current Lady Commander of the Scintillion Order, Sir Constancia serves in the Church of Tirena found in Montre Vene. Finally, this grand city is the location of the Gallery of Art, where lovers of art may gather to view and discuss many pieces created throughout history; whether by Ederans or foreigners. Chatou is an industrious town to the south of Montre Vene mainly focused on mining, smithing and wine. To the east of the city is the farmland of Heathbrook. The current Duke of Westmarch is the firstborn son of the king, Grand Duke Hilliard Herlbert. The young Prince is also the Marshal of the King's Royal Levy which he is currently raising for war with the green menace. Hilliard is a member of the esteemed Red Rose Order of Paladins and seeks to prove his mettle in the coming conflict. The Trader Ports The southern land of Ederan is home to the trading hub of the world, the sprawling city of Springhaven. Here, people of many walks of life come for opportunity and wealth. Dwarves and elves are seen here more than in any other human settlement. While the Half-Elf Duke Pacey Fulbright rules the city in name, it is really the twelve merchant princes who run the show. Their guilds are in constant competition for economic supremacy which only makes the city thrive even more. This is where the poor come to get rich, and where the rich come to get richer. North of the city is Farshire, the trader port that deals mostly with Hinode. There is also Ewick, a mining village to the south. The Highlands The Highlands are the most traditionally Ettarian lands of Ederan. A history of resistance and rebellion have left it economically crippled, but its people have resolve and strength like no other Ederan. Many Highlanders are druids, which is not illegal in Ederan but it is frowned upon. There are groups of druids within the nobility there who hope to overthrow the church and return the state religion of Ederan to its original Ettarian traditions, thereby shaking off the final chains of The Empire. Edburh is the seat of Duke Fallohan Sammesbury of The Highlands. The Duke is a diplomatic man who has thus far kept the druids and clerics of the northern hills in a state of peace not seen in the Highlands for decades. This has earned him a lot of political support. He also serves as the High Chancellor of Ederan and it was his excellent diplomatic skills combines with his Highlander heritage that made the king assign him the title of Duke after the last one was arrested and imprisoned for aiding the torture and murder of a cleric who refused to convert to druidism. The only other town in The Highlands is Bleakcliff, a fishing village and site of the famous Battle of Bleakcliff. Relations Ederan prides itself on its positive relations with most nations, as the king aims to maintain the gods' peace. The king of Ederan will even make an annual tour through allied territory to keep up diplomatic relations. Illindore The Holy Lands are Ederan's closest ally, as demonstrated by Illindore's willingness to enter into war with the orcs for Ederan's sake after the raid of Chatou. The King likes to maintain a close relationship with the High Cleric and will often make a journey to Sunhelm to pay tribute to His Holiness. The only slight tensions between the two human kingdoms come from Illindore's over-zealousness and mistreatment of non-humans. Wizard's Peak The magi lords hold positive relations with the merchant barons. Travel between the two kingdoms is common, especially when wishmoreen scholars study at the Bardic University and when ederan novices learn the art of arcana at the Wizard's Peak. The trade of magical artifacts and eldritch knowledge is common between Ederan and Wizard's Peak. Skalmarr Since the conversion of Skalmarr to the Faith, trade was opened up once more with the northern jarls. However, the Skalmarri insistence that the green lands of the south are like weak children wears Ederan patience thin, making negotiations often unsuccessful. Because of this, the relationship between the two kingdoms is mostly neutral. Hinode Ederan missionaries work tirelessly alongside the Illindorians to bring the Book of Truth to that ancient people. Where they have succeeded, trade has been made possible between Hinode and Farshire. The Emperor himself holds mistrust for the mainland kingdoms as they do not recognize his sovereign rule as a descendant of Mafinaiko goddess of the sun. Almadhara The desert nomads rarely communicate with outsiders, but there are a few tribes willing to make trade with Ederan. They bring many luxury items from the strange and exotic lands of the south in exchange for goods like honey and tin from the north. Khugarin Steppes The Ederans have attempted to make contact with the orcs many times in the past, but all they have ever received is their envoys heads in baskets. The green beasts have recently raided the Ederan town of Chatou, provoking the merchant king to war. The royal levies now mobilize and prepare to march on the orc tribes to deliver the king's justice. The conflict has so far been more concentrated in the north between Khugarin and Illindore, with only small skirmishes in the south. But Marshal-Duke Hilliard is now mustering his forces for a long and bloody struggle in the steppes. Elderwood and Mal'aran Trade with the elves is rare so the Ederans will take it when they can, often trading far too much in the elves favor. There are strange superstitions and a fearful respect for beings of the fey among Ederan, and this is made very apparent in how they conduct their relations with them as if they are speaking to gods. Ongband The hill dwarves are the greatest trade partners of Ederan, with much gold and metal pouring from their mines in the Old Hills and into the vaults of Ederan lords and ladies. The two kingdoms have made each other rich and view the other very favorably. While banking and money-lending are illegal according to the Valamari Church, it is well known that many Ederan nobles bank with the dwarves in secret. Everdeep The dark elves are a feared enemy of Ederan. Children are told stories about the bad faeries that will come in the night and take them to their pits of pain if they are naughty. Slaver caravans are more common in Ederan than any other nation, especially in western Oakridge.